ADHD Self Assessment
The Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1) Symptom Checklist was developed in conjunction with the World Health Organization (WHO).
It contains 18 questions that are used by assessors to evaluate ADHD symptoms.
Although the questions are based on commonly symptoms we are familiar with, many people struggle to answer them in the way they'd like to.
The first 6 Questions cover
✓ Finishing tasks and following through
✓ Getting organised and knowing where to start
✓ Remembering appointments, plans and commitments
✓ Avoiding mentally demanding tasks
✓ Physical restlessness and the need to move
✓ Feeling driven to stay busy or active
These questions screen for some of the most common adult ADHD experiences. The examples below show how they can appear in everyday life.
Before you start
These questions don't always sound like everyday life. This is because ADHD symptoms are often tangled up with habits, coping strategies and patterns that have developed over many years.
As you read the examples:
□ Think about different stages of your life (school, work, relationships and family life).
□ Notice which examples feel familiar and where they show up most often.
□ Consider situations where these patterns have caused difficulties, misunderstandings or frustration.
□ Think about what partners, family members, friends or colleagues may have noticed over the years.
Three questions explained
Question 1:
How often do you have trouble wrapping up the final details of a project once the challenging parts have been done?
What is this about ?
It is exploring what happens for you, when a task moves from interesting and stimulating, to repetitive and detail-focused.
Why is it asking this?
Adults with ADHD often enjoy the challenge of getting started but find motivation or interest drops when a task requires checking details, fine tuning processes, business as usual or sustained effort over time.
Everyday examples
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Hour researching a holiday but never actually booking it.
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Buying everything you need for a new hobby only to lose interest.
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Enjoying the creative part of a project but struggling with the editing, checking or final submission.
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Having several "almost finished" jobs around the house.
Question 2:
How often do you have difficulty getting things in order when you have to do a task that requires organisation?
What is this about ?
This question explores how easy you find it to turn an idea, goal or responsibility into a clear sequence of actions.
Why is it asking this?
Many adults with ADHD know exactly what needs to be done but struggle to work out where to begin, what order to do things in, or how to keep track of multiple moving parts at once.
Everyday examples
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Hours spent researching a holiday but never actually booking it.
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Buying everything you need for a new hobby only to lose interest.
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Enjoying the creative part of a project but struggling with the editing, checking or final submission.
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Having several "almost finished" jobs around the house.
Question 3:
How often do you have problems remembering appointments or obligations?
What is this about ?
This question explores how reliably you keep future plans, commitments and responsibilities in mind.
Why is it asking this?
Many adults with ADHD remember appointments and commitments because they have built external memory systems. The question is whether remembering would be difficult without them.
Everyday examples
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Remembering the dentist because your phone reminded you three times.
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Finding an unpaid bill after a late payment reminder arrives.
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Realising days later that you never replied to a message.
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Promising to call someone back and only remembering when they contact you again.
